[Monisan]

Hello! I have been a chronic insomniac most of my life. I was a very bad sleeper as a kid and adolescent, but after having a postpartum depression things got worse with sleep and I started taking Klonopin. That was the only medication that really helped me sleep. Two years later I tried to stop the Klonopin and tried with many supplements, sleep hygiene and other medications without success and went back to Klonopin. I have been taking it now for 35 years and unfortunately had to increase the dose. One day I was given Remeron as a sleep inductor and Seroquel and could stop taking Klonopin. I was able to sleep 6-7 hours for a almost a year, and then they stopped working. Now I take Remeron, Seroquel and Klonopin and sleep around 6 hours. I hate to take all these medications and I am looking all the time for something that could help me sleep better.
I am convinced that there is something wrong with me because I am never sleepy, I have never been able to take a nap, to sleep on an airplane, a train or a car. I have a very bad memory and concentration and I am sure that my insomnia could be the cause. Lately I read from three different sources that heart rate has to be below 65 in order for you to fall asleep and mine is never below 82-84. Even when resting, reading or watching TV, my heart rate is 85-90. I have Hashimoto but I am controlled and even before taking thyroid medication, my heart rate was the same. I have had this rapid heart rate since I was a kid.
I just want to know if I could be a good candidate for the program or if I have first to look for what is causing this rapid heart rate.

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to the forum!

If you feel that you might benefit from a different approach, I think you’d find my online course helpful. The different approach involves implementing behaviors that help create and maintain good conditions for sleep while also building new skills in responding to nighttime wakefulness and all the difficult thoughts and feelings that might come with (or after!) it in a more workable way — a way that helps remove you from the battle and moves you away from the ongoing struggle that can make things so much more difficult.

I am not sure of the science behind the claim that a heart rate needs to be below 65 for sleep to happen. Sleep will always happen when we’ve been awake for long enough, regardless of how quickly or slowly our heart might be beating. And, in any case, we cannot directly control our heart rate, right?

If your heart rate is a concern, it’s important to talk to your doctor! If there’s no explanation, it might be related to the struggle — all the effort that’s being put into making sleep happen, getting rid of wakefulness, trying to fight or avoid the difficult thoughts and feelings that often come with insomnia. When we are preparing for (or engaged in) a battle, it makes sense that our heart rates would increase!

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If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[Monisan]

Thank you very much Martin for your prompt response to my question. What concerns me is that the high heart rate happens not only when sleeping or trying to sleep but also all the time during the day (this happens 24/7 since I was a kid). But I feel it is much worse during the night maybe because of that struggle you mention. I am really preparing for a battle every night and I am so tired! It is sad to say it but I never look forward to going to bed as most people do. I feel that even when I sleep it is never a deep sleep and have bad dreams every night. It’s so frustrating!
I will give it a try and join your online course in July.

[Author]

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